I may be mistaken, but I am pretty sure this is the first time since "the" 9/11 that the anniversary has been on a Tuesday. Eleven years ago today, it was a Tuesday morning, warmer than today, but similar weather-wise other than the temperature. I remember there was hardly a cloud in the blue, blue sky as I set out on my daily dog walk with Hobie, then just under two years of age.
We had said goodbye to the elderly Timba in May of 2001, on Memorial Day, when she died not-so-peacefully under the Christmas tree in our back yard. After that, we named our yard Timba Memorial Park, in her honor. So, this was, and would be, my only few months alone with Hobie -- from May 2001 to November 2001 when we adopted Hector and ten years of fun ensued.
Hector, as I've repeated ad nauseum, was born on September 4, 2001, just a week before 9/11. On that awful day, I knew there was a litter of puppies and one would belong to us, but I hadn't seen them yet, and wouldn't know which one was ours until several days after 9/11.
That beautiful Tuesday was the same as any other day for me and Hobie. Gil slept in, and Hobie and I went for our 2-mile walk. I had been on Weight Watchers for a while and had lost around 25 pounds. I felt good. I loved walking with my dog, all over town. I was in great shape and felt fantastic most of the time. I had some chronic aches and pains (mostly migraines), but didn't have full-out fibromyalgia yet. When we got back from our walk, I made coffee and headed up to my desk in my office room to do my email and watch "Live With Regis and Kelly" -- having been a huge fan of Kelly Ripa since her days on "All My Children".
When I turned on the TV, at 8:45, a plane had just hit one of the World Trade Center towers, and it wasn't yet clear that it was deliberate. In fact, at first glance, I thought it was a small, single engine plane that had gone off-course and hit the building. Looking back, I now think, well that was dumb, dummy! Who the heck flies a small plane in the middle of downtown Manhattan? But I guess that's what denial does to you.
After watching for a few minutes, I realized this was something much more. I immediately called Michael at our office at the student travel company. "Turn on the TV!" I said, "It looks like a plane hit the World Trade Center." Michael replied, somberly, "Terrorists."
I went downstairs and turned on the big TV in the living room. That woke up Gil, asleep next door in our bedroom. He came out, groggily rubbing his eyes, "What's going on?" I pointed at the TV, "I don't know. A plane hit the World Trade Center." I still didn't want to believe what Michael said, but I remember the look on Gil's face; he knew it was bad, too.
We rushed in to the office, tearing ourselves away from the TV at home, to which we were glued. The entire day was spent at work, gathered around the various televisions we have in the building, a lot of us crying, way too much speculation (we only heard details as they unfolded).
I remember, it was a Tuesday. We had recently made the important decision to open up a west coast office for the travel company, and had brought six young men and women to Massachusetts for training. They arrived here on September 8th and 9th, the weekend before 9/11. Their first day of training was Monday, September 10th. By Tuesday afternoon, September 11th, it was clear that this event had changed the travel industry, at least temporarily, enough for us to abandon the idea of staffing a full office in California. However, nobody would be flying home for many days. We had a traveling group stranded in France because planes were grounded.
While I did not personally know anyone who died on 9/11 (the closest person would be a man who lived in our small town whom I knew of but did not know personally) this day impacted the travel industry in ways which we are still feeling today. Parents stopped putting their kids on airplanes, at first because of the acts of 9/11 itself, then because of the wars, then, the economy. I refer back to this day often, hearing myself begin sentences with "Since 9/11...." Yes, I will never forget, for my own selfish business reasons, but mainly for the thousands of people who died such horrible deaths that day, and the thousands of others who rescued, cleaned up, and put back to together our fine neighboring city of New York. I still cry every time I think about them and what they had to go through. The rescuers and responders are now, if still alive, suffering from health problems. We have not nearly stopped seeing the long-term effects of this event that is marred into our brains.
I met our puppy, Hector, on Friday, the 14th of September. My co-worker and I were so upset that week and we needed to get out of the doom and gloom of the office for a while. We went to see the puppies. There were only a couple left who were not already spoken for. I chose Hector because of his beautiful markings. I had wanted a female, having heard that to have two male dogs together was a no-no. It wasn't true. I spent the best 10 years of my life with Hector. I associate 9/11 with my dog. He was not only born right before 9/11, he also died, ten years later right before 9/11. His life was sort of book-ended by the terrible day, and it's 10-year anniversary.
Here we are, a year later, and it is hard to believe 11 years has passed. Hobie is still going strong. We now have two more dogs. The travel industry has changed, but we are slowly seeing small improvements and we're going strong, too.
This is just a regular American, remembering 9/11. We will never, ever forget.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
"Paw It Forward" to Give Jobs to Individuals with Special Needs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
If the goal is reached, the pet treat company will use the investment to hire three individuals through its partner, Aditus, Inc., an organization that provides community-based employment and other services to Intellectually Disabled Individuals.
“Paw It Forward” to Give Jobs to Individuals with Special Needs
The Barkers Dozen seeks crowdsourced funding to hire three special needs individuals.
Aug. 9, 2012 — CHICOPEE, Mass. — The Barkers Dozen, an organic and eco-friendly dog treat company based here, launched “Paw It Forward”, a 30-day campaign to raise $10,000 in crowdsourced funding, in efforts to give a steady paycheck and vital career skills to three special needs individuals.
If the goal is reached, the pet treat company will use the investment to hire three individuals through its partner, Aditus, Inc., an organization that provides community-based employment and other services to Intellectually Disabled Individuals.
Social responsibility and giving back to its community is central to The Barkers Dozen’s mission. It has partnered with Aditus to bake and package its treats since 2011, and currently, all treats made by The Barkers Dozen are handmade by Aditus participants.
“Seeing the joy on one employee’s face when he got to open his first bank account, or another’s excitement when she bought her favorite recliner to watch television, are experiences that I can’t even begin to explain,” said President/CEO and Founder of The Barkers Dozen, Shawn Sherry. “Now it’s up to everyone to help me make this happen for more individuals in our community who want to be out there working, if they could only be given a chance!”
With the new employees’ help, the company will also be able to create three new flavors of organic dog treats. After the Paw It Forward campaign closes, The Barkers Dozen will collaborate with Paw It Forward investors to determine the three future varieties.
In addition, those who make a pledge to support the Paw It Forward project will receive a gift based on their level of support – from 50% off any order, to a year of free organic dog treats from The Barkers Dozen.
The Barkers Dozen is managing the Paw It Forward project through Indiegogo.com, a social crowdsourcing website. The campaign runs through Sept. 9, 2012, and is accessible here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/201673?a=1021062.
Available in select pet boutiques, upscale retailers and grocery stores — as well as online through The Barkers Dozen Virtual Bakery and Online Store — the current lineup of organic pet treats includes: Barkers Family Chicken Treats, Barkers Carrot Treats, Barkers Dozen Barkscotti, Peanut Butter Cups, Peanut Butter Treats, Cookie Cakes and The Big Dipper. Also available are a variety of Sampler and Seasonal Gift Boxes, and custom-made cookie jars and gift baskets.
###
About The Barkers Dozen:
With the goal of providing Homemade Organic Pet Treats that everyone could afford, The Barkers Dozen was founded in 2009. In the midst of the 2008 pet food scare, company founders Shawn Sherry and Anthony Newman saw an opportunity to start an organic dog treat business where customers could feel safe and secure about what they fed to that loyal member of their family.
The Barkers Dozen treats use the highest-quality, human-grade organic ingredients and are made in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy any furry friend. The gourmet dog treats are made on demand and in small batches to ensure the freshest product possible for customers, without artificial preservatives. Feeling a responsibility to the world in which we all live, its packaging is renewable or recyclable.
In 2011, Sherry assumed sole ownership of The Barkers Dozen, following a year of historic growth. Later that year, continuing its belief in social responsibility, The Barkers Dozen began utilizing staff from the Aditus group, a non-profit which helps those with special needs to be able to enter the work force. In addition, The Barkers Dozen donates a portion of its profits from every sale to two animal shelters in its local market.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Black Cat Appreciation Day, August 17th
In honor of Black Cat Appreciation Day, here are just a few of the black cats we've known and loved. Especially Mr. Kitty, our "favorite" if there can be such a thing.
Black cats are often overlooked in shelters and rescues (so are black dogs), and have been given a bad rap with all that "crossing your path" baloney.
Give a black cat a chance! If you're thinking of adopting, don't skip over them at the shelter. If you see a black cat cross YOUR path, maybe, just maybe it's a sign of good luck.
Here are our black beauties:
Black cats are often overlooked in shelters and rescues (so are black dogs), and have been given a bad rap with all that "crossing your path" baloney.
Give a black cat a chance! If you're thinking of adopting, don't skip over them at the shelter. If you see a black cat cross YOUR path, maybe, just maybe it's a sign of good luck.
Here are our black beauties:
Mr. Kitty (ok, yeah, he was allowed on the table!)
Mr. Kitty, we loved you so, and still do
Love Kitty at Long View Farm
Love Kitty at Long View Farm
The famous "Ratsky" Princeton, Mass. On top of my Ford Galaxie 500 oh yeah
Slippers (aka Hendrix), Framingham, Mass.
Slippers on my childhood bed at my parents' house
Tux, the Electric Bullet, our latest blackie
Bullet poses for what will become the cover of my book MTAITW
A more recent pic of Tux/Bullet
Saturday, August 4, 2012
1944 WWII memorabilia for Vol 2 of "More Than Anything in the World"
Teaser/spoiler! Here are some of the cool documents and keepsakes my parents kept from 1944. These scans will be part of Volume 2 of their journal "More Than Anything In The World" which should be available soon on Amazon, B&N and for Kindle and Nook shortly thereafter. The journal/memoir is being self-published by yours truly via amazon.com's "createspace" self-publishing module. Volume 2 will consist of letters written by my parents during 1944 and the beginning of 1945.
Volume 1 is already available on amazon.com, B&N and for Kindle and Nook if you haven't read it yet.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=more+than+anything+in+the+world+k.s.+mueller
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/more-than-anything-in-the-world-k-s--mueller?keyword=more+than+anything+in+the+world+k.s.+mueller&store=allproducts
Where Volume 1 was romantic and heart-rending, Volume 2 deals more with WWII and some very cool stuff happens such as my parents getting the chance to live together in San Antonio, Texas after many months of separation. Unbeknownst to them at the time, my dad would be deployed to Europe at the very end of 1944, so those months in San Antonio turned out to be precious time spent together which would be followed by over a year of separation.
My father was fortunate to not be in a combat position; he worked in an intelligence outfit instead and was a stenographer and typist. The outfit moves through England, France, Belgium, and finally Germany, where they ended up staying for several months after the war ended. In fact, they were the only outfit to have that assignment in Germany, much to my parents' disappointment -- everyone else got to go home, except for the 15th Army.
On the way to France from England, the ship carrying the men was torpedoed, and sank. Everyone on the ship survived except for a couple of men. I have had the fantastic experience of "meeting" one of my father's comrades (now 89 years old) who was one of the very last soldiers to jump ship as the hull disappeared beneath the waters of the English Channel. This guy searched for my dad for nearly 70 years, and finally "found him" (me) thanks to the internet. We've struck up a great pen-pal relationship and have enjoyed getting to know each other and reminiscing about my dad and other things. How cool is that? We have not talked by phone because he lost over 60% of his hearing when the ship was torpedoed and has a very hard time talking on the phone. Which is all right with me, because I am "so not a phone person". It works out great for both of us!
I am beyond grateful to my mother for never throwing anything away! Here are some scans of some treasured memorabilia from 1944 that will be viewable in Volume 2 of MTAITW:
Volume 1 is already available on amazon.com, B&N and for Kindle and Nook if you haven't read it yet.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=more+than+anything+in+the+world+k.s.+mueller
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/more-than-anything-in-the-world-k-s--mueller?keyword=more+than+anything+in+the+world+k.s.+mueller&store=allproducts
Where Volume 1 was romantic and heart-rending, Volume 2 deals more with WWII and some very cool stuff happens such as my parents getting the chance to live together in San Antonio, Texas after many months of separation. Unbeknownst to them at the time, my dad would be deployed to Europe at the very end of 1944, so those months in San Antonio turned out to be precious time spent together which would be followed by over a year of separation.
My father was fortunate to not be in a combat position; he worked in an intelligence outfit instead and was a stenographer and typist. The outfit moves through England, France, Belgium, and finally Germany, where they ended up staying for several months after the war ended. In fact, they were the only outfit to have that assignment in Germany, much to my parents' disappointment -- everyone else got to go home, except for the 15th Army.
On the way to France from England, the ship carrying the men was torpedoed, and sank. Everyone on the ship survived except for a couple of men. I have had the fantastic experience of "meeting" one of my father's comrades (now 89 years old) who was one of the very last soldiers to jump ship as the hull disappeared beneath the waters of the English Channel. This guy searched for my dad for nearly 70 years, and finally "found him" (me) thanks to the internet. We've struck up a great pen-pal relationship and have enjoyed getting to know each other and reminiscing about my dad and other things. How cool is that? We have not talked by phone because he lost over 60% of his hearing when the ship was torpedoed and has a very hard time talking on the phone. Which is all right with me, because I am "so not a phone person". It works out great for both of us!
I am beyond grateful to my mother for never throwing anything away! Here are some scans of some treasured memorabilia from 1944 that will be viewable in Volume 2 of MTAITW:
Hula girl stationery used by my mother's cousin Bob who was stationed in Hawaii
Dependency benefits form
Birth announcement of one of my cousins
V-mail from my father announcing his mailing address to be used while he is overseas
Announcement of death of my great aunt, Elsie Walsh
Western Union telegram announcing the passing of Elsie Walsh.
Sent to my parents while they were in San Antonio, Texas
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The first of August
August 1st has special meaning in our little five-mile world. We opened the doors of Passports, the student travel company on August 1st, 1992 -- 20 years ago today. It is still hard to believe, I was only 32 years old at the time and now I'm in my 50s. What?! I had Timba the dog, who went to work with me every day, long before "Take Your Dog To Work Day", the internet, and Dog Whisperer. Hobie and Hector were not even a twinkle in their daddy's eyes yet, and I never would have guessed what significance DOGS would have in my future.
We had 6 cats at the time, having just left Long View with however many feline friends (out of the 20+ who lived there) we could stuff into a large crate in the back of my Subaru station wagon (which believe me, is NOT easy). My three cats Love Kitty, Filkin and Charlie made the trek all the way BACK to our rented house in Spencer, along with three Long View cats: our beloved Mr. Kitty, Louise (who was a feral cat and should never have come with us!), and dear, sweet Maggie. We now own that house, but don't live in it anymore. So much has changed... things I never dreamed of have happened, some good, some not so good. Life.
The anniversary continues! Three years ago today, I brought home two cats (by this time we had been living two years with NO cats, the last of the above-mentioned, Maggie, had died in the summer of 2007). On August 1, 2009, I brought home Cali (aka Lady Kitty) and Tux (aka Bullet). They are not from the same litter, but both were motherless, abandoned kittens that a friend raised but could not keep. A third kitten, Newman (aka Hairball) would come three weeks later after a flea infestation was brought under control -- he also was from a separate mother. So, three kittens joined our family, all at once, basically, and guess what? There were no problems at all. Everyone got along just fine.
We find ourselves here, on the 20th anniversary of Passports, and the third anniversary of the cats joining our pack, contemplating adopting a third dog. This would be something we've never done before. Cooper (that's his name) is Charlie Brown's brother and littermate. Cooper's leg has something wrong with it, and may need to be either operated on, or amputated. We await that news today, on this important anniversary. It will not make any difference if he has 3 legs, or 4 -- that will not enter into our decision to adopt. I must admit, I'm already getting a tad attached to the little bugger.
Headquarters of Passports Educational Travel
We had 6 cats at the time, having just left Long View with however many feline friends (out of the 20+ who lived there) we could stuff into a large crate in the back of my Subaru station wagon (which believe me, is NOT easy). My three cats Love Kitty, Filkin and Charlie made the trek all the way BACK to our rented house in Spencer, along with three Long View cats: our beloved Mr. Kitty, Louise (who was a feral cat and should never have come with us!), and dear, sweet Maggie. We now own that house, but don't live in it anymore. So much has changed... things I never dreamed of have happened, some good, some not so good. Life.
Filkin
Maggie
Mr. Kitty
Love Kitty (black), and her daughter, Filkin (tabby)
Charlie the cat (tabby) and Mr. Kitty (black)
Timba and Charlie the cat
The anniversary continues! Three years ago today, I brought home two cats (by this time we had been living two years with NO cats, the last of the above-mentioned, Maggie, had died in the summer of 2007). On August 1, 2009, I brought home Cali (aka Lady Kitty) and Tux (aka Bullet). They are not from the same litter, but both were motherless, abandoned kittens that a friend raised but could not keep. A third kitten, Newman (aka Hairball) would come three weeks later after a flea infestation was brought under control -- he also was from a separate mother. So, three kittens joined our family, all at once, basically, and guess what? There were no problems at all. Everyone got along just fine.
Cali and Tux, in their crate, August 1, 2009
Newman, with a close shave, August 26, 2009
We find ourselves here, on the 20th anniversary of Passports, and the third anniversary of the cats joining our pack, contemplating adopting a third dog. This would be something we've never done before. Cooper (that's his name) is Charlie Brown's brother and littermate. Cooper's leg has something wrong with it, and may need to be either operated on, or amputated. We await that news today, on this important anniversary. It will not make any difference if he has 3 legs, or 4 -- that will not enter into our decision to adopt. I must admit, I'm already getting a tad attached to the little bugger.
Cooper, on top of his litter mates... Charlie Brown is to his immediate left just beside his head.
Cooper, July 29, 2012 -- with 4 legs
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Shutterfly's Long Live Summer Photo Contest
Shutterfly, the photo-printing web site, is in the midst of a 5-week-long photo contest called the Long Live Summer Photo Contest. The program launched on July 9th and runs for 5 weeks until the week of August 6th, so there's still time for you to enter and potentially win! Check out the link below for more info.
http://bit.ly/sweepS
This week's photo theme is Water Fun. Just upload your favorite photo and caption for this week's theme (and the next, and the next!), and you'll get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering. You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period., and you win a prize just for submitting a photo. Prizes are as follows:
https://rc.socialpromotionexpert.com/2012/fb/shutterfly/official-rules/SF-9590dfda51db3a402b32393f354f394a/FB.html
Photo themes as follows:
Week 3 (July 23) Water Fun
Week 4 (July 30) Sports & Activities
Week 5 (Aug 6) Parties & Celebrations
http://bit.ly/sweepS
This week's photo theme is Water Fun. Just upload your favorite photo and caption for this week's theme (and the next, and the next!), and you'll get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering. You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period., and you win a prize just for submitting a photo. Prizes are as follows:
- Instant win prize for submitting a photo
- Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time per week)
- Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on Shutterfly's Facebook fan page. Each will be awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.
- Grand prize is a trip for 4 to the Bahamas for 4 nights, and a family photo shoot
https://rc.socialpromotionexpert.com/2012/fb/shutterfly/official-rules/SF-9590dfda51db3a402b32393f354f394a/FB.html
Photo themes as follows:
Week 3 (July 23) Water Fun
Week 4 (July 30) Sports & Activities
Week 5 (Aug 6) Parties & Celebrations
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Rainy Day Activities for You and Your Pet
It's May 8th, and in Worcester County, the forecast is for showers, more showers, and moving on to even more showers. What's a responsible pet parent to do? Especially for those high-energy dogs and indoor/outdoor cats?
In observance of National Pet Week, keep in mind that responsible pet parenting isn't only about picking up poop, obeying leash laws, having a fenced-in yard, identification tags and other responsibilities. It's also your responsibility to keep your pet active and balanced, even when it's raining cats and dogs.
Most dog parents know, even in bad weather, you've still gotta walk the dog! Put on some bright-colored rain gear and get outside and walk! It's good for you AND your pet. If you have rain gear for your dog, put it on him or her too, or just let them get wet, most of them don't mind. And then be sure to towel dry or maybe even use a blow dryer on a low setting for your pup when you get home.
Some dogs (especially hound breeds) don't particularly like the rain. Not to worry! There are plenty of indoor activities you can use to burn off that puppy energy or high energy adult dog. If you have a long hallway or a clear area in a basement or other large room without breakables, toss a tennis ball or a squeaky toy lightly and low and have your pup retrieve the ball or toy. Teach your hound to sit and drop the item in front of you or into your hands. Use a clicker and a lot of "good dog!"s for positive reinforcement.
Something to chew on: chewing is natural for all dogs -- they have to chew just like they have to breathe, eat and drink water. So, give them something appropriate to chew on, or they'll find grandma's antique table or your leather furniture to be a great substitute! Rawhide chews are acceptable to some people, others frown on them. Nylabone products are good, but some dogs don't like them. Always supervise your canine pal while chewing anything. Throw away the chewy product when it starts to show too much wear and tear, or if your buddy is swallowing or attempting to swallow pieces of the toy.
What about those cats? Thankfully, cats do enjoy sleeping indoors, a LOT. If your cat enjoys both the indoors and the outdoors, he or she will make the decision whether or not they want to go outside in the rain. Some will actually go out, contrary to the myth that cats don't like rain! Others will take one step, shake their feet and high-tail it back into the house in a "what was I thinking?" maneuver guaranteed to make you bust out laughing.
As with dogs, give your kitty a toy to play with and engage in some indoor playtime with your cat. Those feather toys that are held on one end by the human and almost look like a fishing pole are a great diversion for a bored cat. Squeaky mouse toys that have motorized wheels that can zoom across a room at high speeds are another fun item. Just like dogs, cats love to chase a ball, but don't expect them to retrieve! And of course, the all-important catnip toys are sure to have your feline friend nice and relaxed after play time.
A rainy day is a great opportunity to come up with some creative ideas for fun indoor activities for you and your pet. Or, for the more adventurous, bring your canine pal outside and frolick uninhibited in the peace and quiet of a deserted dog park or walking area. Above all, have fun and don't mind a few little raindrops! Your healthy pet will thank you.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Book review: "The Dog That Talked to God" by Jim Kraus
Here's a link to the first chapter of the book I just finished reading "The Dog That Talked To God" by Jim Kraus
http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=2552574
And here is the review I posted on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2IYU1OPPMXRVA/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1426742568&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=
http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=2552574
And here is the review I posted on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2IYU1OPPMXRVA/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1426742568&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Photo of our dogs
Friday, March 16, 2012
A letter to my great-niece
Dearest Bianca,
I will never forget the day you were born. I was dealing with an oil tank leak, men in hazmat suits with testing equipment and loose talk about "if there's just one dead fish" (in the lake, I mean) and the uncertainty of just whether or not insurance would cover all of this. If a bridge were available, I was thinking, I might just take that jump. It was the day from hell, and then, I heard a little "bleeep" on my iPhone, buried somewhere in the depths of my Brighton pocketbook (your mom would like that), having shoved it down, down, down in the hopes that maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have to use it one more time today. Who would be sending me a text message at 4:30 on a Friday, on "The Friday From Hell, 2012"? Why, your mother, of course, because... well... [catch in my throat] I asked her to tell me when you were born. Having forgotten all of my sanity at some point in the middle of the night during the wee-est hours of March 16, 2012, I plumb forgot the c-section was scheduled for that morning. What a great way to end the day, with my brother's 2nd granddaughter being born! I know he's smiling down from heaven and watching over you and your big sister and your Mommy at all times. He's watching over all of us all the time, and he loves you so much. Never forget that your grand-dad loves you, with all his heart and soul. You also happen to be born the day before St. Patrick's Day, and you ARE part Irish, in case you ever want to know, your great-great grandmother Marguerite Walsh Mueller's parents were born in Tipperary, Ireland. So anyway, you were born the day before St. Patrick's Day, my friend Mary's birthday. Mary was 100% Irish and born on the day. Well, she, too is up there smiling down from heaven, if there is such a thing, and chuckling to herself in her own Irish-dimpled way, that you would be the one to cover St. Patty's Day celebrations from now on, and your middle name happens to be Mary (after your great-grandmother, we assume). By the way, the insurance company called: we're covered. I don't even know you yet, but love you already.
Love,
Aunty
I will never forget the day you were born. I was dealing with an oil tank leak, men in hazmat suits with testing equipment and loose talk about "if there's just one dead fish" (in the lake, I mean) and the uncertainty of just whether or not insurance would cover all of this. If a bridge were available, I was thinking, I might just take that jump. It was the day from hell, and then, I heard a little "bleeep" on my iPhone, buried somewhere in the depths of my Brighton pocketbook (your mom would like that), having shoved it down, down, down in the hopes that maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have to use it one more time today. Who would be sending me a text message at 4:30 on a Friday, on "The Friday From Hell, 2012"? Why, your mother, of course, because... well... [catch in my throat] I asked her to tell me when you were born. Having forgotten all of my sanity at some point in the middle of the night during the wee-est hours of March 16, 2012, I plumb forgot the c-section was scheduled for that morning. What a great way to end the day, with my brother's 2nd granddaughter being born! I know he's smiling down from heaven and watching over you and your big sister and your Mommy at all times. He's watching over all of us all the time, and he loves you so much. Never forget that your grand-dad loves you, with all his heart and soul. You also happen to be born the day before St. Patrick's Day, and you ARE part Irish, in case you ever want to know, your great-great grandmother Marguerite Walsh Mueller's parents were born in Tipperary, Ireland. So anyway, you were born the day before St. Patrick's Day, my friend Mary's birthday. Mary was 100% Irish and born on the day. Well, she, too is up there smiling down from heaven, if there is such a thing, and chuckling to herself in her own Irish-dimpled way, that you would be the one to cover St. Patty's Day celebrations from now on, and your middle name happens to be Mary (after your great-grandmother, we assume). By the way, the insurance company called: we're covered. I don't even know you yet, but love you already.
Love,
Aunty
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Puppy!!!
Oh my Dog!! I either have forgotten how much work goes into raising a puppy, or I never had one challenge me quite like this before. I do remember Hobie, who came to us at 4 months of age, would challenge me. One time, he backed me into a corner in the living room barking, and barking, and charging at me. That lasted about 30 seconds, as I quickly decided then and there that I had to take charge. I grabbed hold of his collar under his chin area and held on until he stopped barking and trying to wriggle free. Hobie was a little scary back then, but he never tried that again. He would tear my sweatshirt sleeves to smithereens. He would tear anything and everything to smithereens, now that I think about it. One day, I came home to find an entire box of tissues, strewn about the house in teeny-tiny little pieces. He never ate anything, just tore it up, as if to "kill" it. Shoes, how many shoes lost their lives to the jaws of Hobie? Another time, I came home from work, and Hobie had torn up an entire hard-cover book that we had borrowed from somebody. Thankfully, it was a new release, so I was able to get to the store and get a replacement. He tore that book, hard cover and all, into a zillion teeny-tiny pieces. He didn't eat any of it, just tore it up. And another time, I came home from work, and he was inside, barking and barking. When I went into the house, he kept barking and barking. Come to find out, he had knocked over a lamp (probably chasing a cat) and the lamp had stayed on. The lightbulb rested against the carpet and burned a hole in the rug and was starting to burn the hardwood floor underneath. There were no flames, just a lot of heat. If I had worked an extra hour or half hour that day, who knows what would have happened. Ok, crate-training was not popular 12 years ago, and I've never used crates with any of my 7 dogs -- but this WOULD be a good argument for crate training.
Hector, on the other hand, who we had from age 7 or 8 weeks -- I can barely remember his puppyhood, except that he was adorable and wonderful. It seemed to me he was immediately housebroken and he just learned everything from Hobie who was a year old by then. I quite honestly have been wracking my brain, and I can't think of one story where Hector caused any puppy trouble. He was the best dog in the whole world, from day one, and I'm not just saying that out of respect for the dead. He truly was a one-of-a-kind dog.
Years earlier, Timba came to me fully trained and at an adolescent age of about a year old, more or less. She was the most well-behaved, loyal beast I've ever known in my entire life. I didn't have possession of her as a puppy, but I knew her since she was 8 weeks old. Once I acquired Timba as payment of an $800 debt owed by a dear friend who simply couldn't pay me back ("How 'bout if I take Timba instead?" I offered, and he agreed -- I got the better end of that deal.). She was, arguably, my best, best friend EVER, attached to me like glue, she went everywhere with me, and was so well behaved she was "like a person" -- people said.
Onward and upward! We introduce Charlie Brown. As I write this, I have just spent the last FOUR HOURS in a futile attempt to burn off this puppy's energy (he's sleeping now at the foot of the desk. I'm exhausted. This goes on every morning, and then I still have to go to work!). He's 12 weeks old (yesterday) and what a handful! He not only picks up anything and everything in his mouth, but he EATS and swallows it! Never had THAT problem before. He is not yet housebroken, but we are 65% there. Each day gets a little better. He had been somehow reverse housebroken, would be outside for ages and then come indoors and pee and poop on the paper in the kitchen. That was bad enough, but then Daddy got the brilliant idea to get mad at him whenever he did his business in the kitchen on the paper. Rather than getting the hint that he's supposed to go outside, Charlie Brown now pees on the carpeting instead of the hard kitchen floor with newspaper. ARGH!! He is scared to death of the collar and leash, or anything I try to do with my hands, touching his head or neck area. I had "vowed" that my next dog was going to let me trim his nails, I seriously doubt that's gonna happen! He needs to chew, chew, chew incessantly. I've bought lots of toys and chewy treats -- he bores of them rather easily. Since he isn't housebroken, and will eat anything within reach, I can't leave him at home alone (even with Hobie) so I take him everywhere. Be careful what you wish for!
Charlie was neutered at about 7 weeks. I've heard good and bad opinions about this. My other two dogs were never neutered (I also vowed I'd never do THAT again -- talk about being "shunned" by the general dog-loving public! And my dogs are more well-behaved than most neutered dogs I've met over the last 12 years, but that's another story!). So, Charlie is neutered, then why, oh why, Mr. Dog, does he hump my leg, and Hobie? My other dogs, intact their whole lives, and shunned for it, never humped ANYTHING or ANYONE!!! Hey, at least I'll be able to take Charlie to dog parks and doggie daycare ha ha ha. Humans sure are funny.
But I wax negative. It's not all bad, honestly, Charlie Brown is the cutest little bugger I've seen in a long while. He's almost perfect. Right now, he's sound asleep and I could just eat him up he's so adorable. He rides in the car like he has been doing it his entire life. He's getting pretty good about walking on-leash -- we spent 10 minutes on leash today, walking with Hobie. Charlie knows sit, lie down and stay. He gets along great with Hobie and the cats (although Newman is still a little scared).
Hobie, now 12 years old... well, I am just so proud of Hobie. This has disrupted our lives, and I feel bad sometimes. I had decided that I was going to enjoy my time with just one dog, again. Hobie and I had been together for about 5 or 6 months between Timba's death and the arrival of Hector back in the fall of 2001. When Hector died so suddenly last fall, I decided I would enjoy some alone time with Hobie again. We had such a wonderful time these last few months, walking, going places, hanging with the cats, we had a perfect little routine going. Then, I saw this little dog on the internet, on Facebook, darn he was cute. What the heck? I'll fill out an application, never in a million years thinking we'd actually get the dog! And here we are, just five months after Hector died, and we've got two dogs again. Hobie, he is the perfect gentleman through all of this. Sure, he snapped at the little bugger a couple times; nothing major just an "I'll show you who's boss" type of thing. Now, the puppy can climb all over him, hump him, sit on his head, and eat food nearby and Hobie tolerates it all. They shared two perfect car rides together so far, they love to cuddle and snuggle together, and we've only had Charlie in our pack for just over a week. As I write this, I remember... Timba put up with Hobie in the very same way! Timba was 17 when we got Hobie, and they lived together for a year. She helped train him. Hobie would climb and jump on her: "Let's play!" I had to carry Timba up and down stairs, help her out doorways, she was my best friend and I owed her that much, and so much more. Hobie has turned out to be almost as well-behaved as Timba. Almost. Now it's his turn to lie there and roll his eyes and grunt in protest when Charlie yells "Let's play!" in full play-bow. I dread the time I will have to carry Hobie up, down, and out. I know it's coming. I try to make him walk and use the stairs as often as possible, putting off the inevitable. My head was much less emotional when I was in my 20s and 30s, raising Timba. I just did it, and didn't think. Now, I think, I analyze, I worry, and I get emotional. There has been a lot of death of pets, dear friends and family over these last 10 years -- you can't help but think about it in relation to your aging dog. I wish I was still in that 20-30 "head" when"just do it" was the motto and I didn't think or feel "bad" like I do now. I worry that I have ruined Hobie's and Newman's lives with this little terrorist puppy! But then, one of them will come around and snuggle with him and I think, "Ah, it'll be ok."
Ten days in, and it's going as one might expect. I had just forgotten how much having a little puppy means sleep deprivation, constant activity -- I mean, when exactly was the last time I sat down?
Hector, on the other hand, who we had from age 7 or 8 weeks -- I can barely remember his puppyhood, except that he was adorable and wonderful. It seemed to me he was immediately housebroken and he just learned everything from Hobie who was a year old by then. I quite honestly have been wracking my brain, and I can't think of one story where Hector caused any puppy trouble. He was the best dog in the whole world, from day one, and I'm not just saying that out of respect for the dead. He truly was a one-of-a-kind dog.
Years earlier, Timba came to me fully trained and at an adolescent age of about a year old, more or less. She was the most well-behaved, loyal beast I've ever known in my entire life. I didn't have possession of her as a puppy, but I knew her since she was 8 weeks old. Once I acquired Timba as payment of an $800 debt owed by a dear friend who simply couldn't pay me back ("How 'bout if I take Timba instead?" I offered, and he agreed -- I got the better end of that deal.). She was, arguably, my best, best friend EVER, attached to me like glue, she went everywhere with me, and was so well behaved she was "like a person" -- people said.
Onward and upward! We introduce Charlie Brown. As I write this, I have just spent the last FOUR HOURS in a futile attempt to burn off this puppy's energy (he's sleeping now at the foot of the desk. I'm exhausted. This goes on every morning, and then I still have to go to work!). He's 12 weeks old (yesterday) and what a handful! He not only picks up anything and everything in his mouth, but he EATS and swallows it! Never had THAT problem before. He is not yet housebroken, but we are 65% there. Each day gets a little better. He had been somehow reverse housebroken, would be outside for ages and then come indoors and pee and poop on the paper in the kitchen. That was bad enough, but then Daddy got the brilliant idea to get mad at him whenever he did his business in the kitchen on the paper. Rather than getting the hint that he's supposed to go outside, Charlie Brown now pees on the carpeting instead of the hard kitchen floor with newspaper. ARGH!! He is scared to death of the collar and leash, or anything I try to do with my hands, touching his head or neck area. I had "vowed" that my next dog was going to let me trim his nails, I seriously doubt that's gonna happen! He needs to chew, chew, chew incessantly. I've bought lots of toys and chewy treats -- he bores of them rather easily. Since he isn't housebroken, and will eat anything within reach, I can't leave him at home alone (even with Hobie) so I take him everywhere. Be careful what you wish for!
Charlie was neutered at about 7 weeks. I've heard good and bad opinions about this. My other two dogs were never neutered (I also vowed I'd never do THAT again -- talk about being "shunned" by the general dog-loving public! And my dogs are more well-behaved than most neutered dogs I've met over the last 12 years, but that's another story!). So, Charlie is neutered, then why, oh why, Mr. Dog, does he hump my leg, and Hobie? My other dogs, intact their whole lives, and shunned for it, never humped ANYTHING or ANYONE!!! Hey, at least I'll be able to take Charlie to dog parks and doggie daycare ha ha ha. Humans sure are funny.
But I wax negative. It's not all bad, honestly, Charlie Brown is the cutest little bugger I've seen in a long while. He's almost perfect. Right now, he's sound asleep and I could just eat him up he's so adorable. He rides in the car like he has been doing it his entire life. He's getting pretty good about walking on-leash -- we spent 10 minutes on leash today, walking with Hobie. Charlie knows sit, lie down and stay. He gets along great with Hobie and the cats (although Newman is still a little scared).
Hobie and Charlie, sleeping, ahhhh.
Hobie, now 12 years old... well, I am just so proud of Hobie. This has disrupted our lives, and I feel bad sometimes. I had decided that I was going to enjoy my time with just one dog, again. Hobie and I had been together for about 5 or 6 months between Timba's death and the arrival of Hector back in the fall of 2001. When Hector died so suddenly last fall, I decided I would enjoy some alone time with Hobie again. We had such a wonderful time these last few months, walking, going places, hanging with the cats, we had a perfect little routine going. Then, I saw this little dog on the internet, on Facebook, darn he was cute. What the heck? I'll fill out an application, never in a million years thinking we'd actually get the dog! And here we are, just five months after Hector died, and we've got two dogs again. Hobie, he is the perfect gentleman through all of this. Sure, he snapped at the little bugger a couple times; nothing major just an "I'll show you who's boss" type of thing. Now, the puppy can climb all over him, hump him, sit on his head, and eat food nearby and Hobie tolerates it all. They shared two perfect car rides together so far, they love to cuddle and snuggle together, and we've only had Charlie in our pack for just over a week. As I write this, I remember... Timba put up with Hobie in the very same way! Timba was 17 when we got Hobie, and they lived together for a year. She helped train him. Hobie would climb and jump on her: "Let's play!" I had to carry Timba up and down stairs, help her out doorways, she was my best friend and I owed her that much, and so much more. Hobie has turned out to be almost as well-behaved as Timba. Almost. Now it's his turn to lie there and roll his eyes and grunt in protest when Charlie yells "Let's play!" in full play-bow. I dread the time I will have to carry Hobie up, down, and out. I know it's coming. I try to make him walk and use the stairs as often as possible, putting off the inevitable. My head was much less emotional when I was in my 20s and 30s, raising Timba. I just did it, and didn't think. Now, I think, I analyze, I worry, and I get emotional. There has been a lot of death of pets, dear friends and family over these last 10 years -- you can't help but think about it in relation to your aging dog. I wish I was still in that 20-30 "head" when"just do it" was the motto and I didn't think or feel "bad" like I do now. I worry that I have ruined Hobie's and Newman's lives with this little terrorist puppy! But then, one of them will come around and snuggle with him and I think, "Ah, it'll be ok."
Hobie, 12 years, and Charlie 12 weeks.
Charlie, snoozing in the car
Ten days in, and it's going as one might expect. I had just forgotten how much having a little puppy means sleep deprivation, constant activity -- I mean, when exactly was the last time I sat down?
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
It's a new puppy, Charlie Brown!
What can Brown do for you?!
It's been just 5 months, almost to the day, since we lost our dear, beloved hound dog, Hector and I never in a million years thought we'd add another pooch to our family so soon, but... yesterday I took the afternoon off and drove to New Hampshire and picked up an 11-week-old collie/hound mix named Charlie Brown! He is pretty cool, just the right energy for us, and I think things are going to work out well. There have been three small "spats" with Hobie -- totally my fault, dumb human leaving food and toys where they should not be. And the cats are a little wary, but thankfully he doesn't "charge" them or chase them like Hector did, so I'm sure they'll be fine. In fact, as I write, both dogs are at my feet and one cat has sidled up under the desk and is lying next to Hobie and keeping a watchful eye on Charlie who is on the other side of the desk!
Although he's just 11 weeks of age, Charlie was rescued from near death, twice. His mama dog and her litter of 8 puppies was found in an abandoned house which was about to be bulldozed to the ground, in Tennessee. A well-meaning construction worker brought "Kate Plus 8" to a shelter. As we know, the majority of shelters in TN are high-kill and so the entire family had run out of time. There are several rescues here in New England that truck dogs from TN to the northeast, and I worked with one of those rescue organizations to get Charlie Brown. I never actually knew how rescue organizations work (even though I volunteered for Great Dane Rescue of NE) and this was a very interesting and eye-opening experience for us. I am proud to have finally adopted my very first rescue dog. I never knew what people meant when they asked "Is he a rescue?" and now that I do, I have to say "None of my previous dogs were [literally] rescues" Though I did "save" a couple from potentially bad situations, it is not the same. Very educational experience!
I just wanted to share our good news.
Hug your dog :)
K2
www.k2k9.com
www.ksmueller.com
It's been just 5 months, almost to the day, since we lost our dear, beloved hound dog, Hector and I never in a million years thought we'd add another pooch to our family so soon, but... yesterday I took the afternoon off and drove to New Hampshire and picked up an 11-week-old collie/hound mix named Charlie Brown! He is pretty cool, just the right energy for us, and I think things are going to work out well. There have been three small "spats" with Hobie -- totally my fault, dumb human leaving food and toys where they should not be. And the cats are a little wary, but thankfully he doesn't "charge" them or chase them like Hector did, so I'm sure they'll be fine. In fact, as I write, both dogs are at my feet and one cat has sidled up under the desk and is lying next to Hobie and keeping a watchful eye on Charlie who is on the other side of the desk!
Although he's just 11 weeks of age, Charlie was rescued from near death, twice. His mama dog and her litter of 8 puppies was found in an abandoned house which was about to be bulldozed to the ground, in Tennessee. A well-meaning construction worker brought "Kate Plus 8" to a shelter. As we know, the majority of shelters in TN are high-kill and so the entire family had run out of time. There are several rescues here in New England that truck dogs from TN to the northeast, and I worked with one of those rescue organizations to get Charlie Brown. I never actually knew how rescue organizations work (even though I volunteered for Great Dane Rescue of NE) and this was a very interesting and eye-opening experience for us. I am proud to have finally adopted my very first rescue dog. I never knew what people meant when they asked "Is he a rescue?" and now that I do, I have to say "None of my previous dogs were [literally] rescues" Though I did "save" a couple from potentially bad situations, it is not the same. Very educational experience!
I just wanted to share our good news.
Hug your dog :)
K2
www.k2k9.com
www.ksmueller.com
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
My article in Cape Women Online "Weather Dogs" by K.S. Mueller
http://www.capewomenonline.com/2011_Issues/Issue2011_Holiday/Articles/WeatherDogs.html
Weather Dogs
A Visit to Fatima,
Portugal
By K.S. Mueller
Part of our gig in the student travel industry is to
organize, and often attend, the annual “Yuletide in (pick a city)”
International Teacher Convention which is a perk offered to some of our employees,
as long as we don’t mind taking a week away from our families between Christmas
and New Year’s. Since I don’t have any
kids, and my mother was in relatively good health for many years, I would
attend the Yuletide Convention every holiday season for many years. Traveling in December takes a bit of getting
used to. The days, particularly in places
like England and Germany, are very short in the winter. The weather is gloomy. Stores and museums are closed. Pair that with jet-lag and the holiday rush
and you have a decent recipe for seasonal depression. Nevertheless, both prior to and after each
convention, I would summon the courage to extend my trip and do some personal
sightseeing.
The year I turned 40, I sadly realized I was probably not
going to have any kids. To fill the
void, I decided I needed another dog.
Hobie came into my life in May of 2000.
At just five months old at the time, I dubbed him Millennium Dog, since
he was born in January. I fell instantly
and hopelessly in love with this dog – he was the child I never had.
Begrudgingly, I still booked my annual Yuletide trip at the
end of 2000, and left my two dogs, Timba who was 17 at the time, and the
newly-crowned leader of our pack, Hobie, at home with a friend who was nice
enough to house and pet-sit. I left for
Lisbon, Portugal on December 22, 2000, and quickly discovered that I, not my
dogs, suffered from separation anxiety!
It was gonna be a long, lonely fourteen days.
The advent of the digital camera was upon us, and I had
taken a moment to take one shot of Hobie as he snoozed on the bedroom floor
before I whisked off to Logan Airport, knowing nary a word of Portuguese and
basically nothing about the history of Portugal. During the trip, I would consult that photo
of Hobie too many times, to soothe my ever-growing heartache.
Our post-convention travels took us to two places that stand
out in my mind. The first is Obidos, a
very small town halfway down the west coast of Portugal, and very reminiscent
of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The
entire time leading up to our visit to Obidos, my friend and I kept repeating
“Obidos!” because it sounded like “Hobie
Dobe!” my nickname for Hobie.
The second memorable city was the very famous spiritual
destination of Fatima. Imagine, visiting
Fatima just two days after Christmas. It
was incredible. We witnessed dozens of
people making pilgrimages to the Marian Shrine, many of them crawling on their
knees as a symbol of their devotion. The
Marian Shrine is known for the Marian apparitions – when, in 1917, three
peasant children claimed to have seen an apparition six times, and on July 13,
1917 the apparition divulged three secrets to the children.
While at Fatima, we visited several gift shops. It’s important to mention here that when I
first adopted Hobie he had a deformed left ear, which later miraculously righted
itself. In one of the gift shops at
Fatima, just off the highway, I found a section of the store that contained
cute little animal figurines that would change color when weather changed. I remembered having something like that as a
kid, it was a weathervane that would be pink if it was going to rain, or blue
when the weather was fair, or some such thing.
I have always collected figurines of dogs, cats, and horses, and was
feeling the separation from Hobie in particular that day, having then been away
from him for about ten days, our longest separation ever. Of course, he was probably home, snoozing,
oblivious to my heartache. And so, I
thought, I’ll pick up a souvenir -- a doggie figurine that predicts the
weather. I carefully picked out one that
looked almost exactly like Hobie. The
tour bus was waiting for us outside and my companions were getting antsy, so I
hurried to the cashier. When she
picked up the Hobie figurine, it slipped out of her hand, and, as if in
slow-mo, I saw it crashing onto the countertop, head-first. I heard my own voice saying “Nooooooo!” in
slow-speed. I dove for the figurine, and
saw to my horror that its left ear had broken off. Dejected, I just looked at it, clutching the
two broken pieces in my hands, the dog itself in one hand, and a tiny piece of
“ear” in the other. The cashier spoke no
English. I spoke no Portuguese. Yet, somehow, we communicated. She managed to offer, “Go get another one, to
replace.” I said, “I want THAT
one!” (I had spent ages picking out
“the” dog that looked just like Hobie-Dobe.)
She somehow retorted with, “Keep this one, and take another one, too,
and I will only charge you for one.” I
thought, that sounds like a good idea… by now the tour bus driver is honking
his horn, hollering at us to get a move on.
I ran back to the shelves, which now seemed to carry thousands of little
dog figurines! Too many choices! How would I ever find another one that looked
just like Hobie? No two were alike. The handiwork was extraordinary. I just grabbed one, any old one, and ran back
to the register, paid the lady (was it Euros?), shouted to her an “obrigada!”
and leapt onto the bus.
Back in our hotel, I opened up my little bag with the two
canine statues inside, and much to my shock, they were BLUE! We figured out that they must be made out of
weather-predicting materials and chocked
it up to that, rather than some religious epiphany. We did later find out that there are lots of
Our Lady of Fatima figurines sold in Fatima.
They’re made of weather-sensitive materials that are supposed to change
color and predict the weather. They come
in many different figurines such as chickens, cats, goats, horses, etc.
When I returned home to Massachusetts, I put those two weather
dogs on my bedroom bureau and more or less forgot all about them. Every so often, I’d notice they’d change from
pink, to blue, to white.
Six months later, Timba passed away, and soon after, we adopted
our hound-dog, Hector. One day, I looked
over at the two weather dogs on top of my dresser and realized they are the
spitting images of Hobie and Hector.
There are no coincidences.
It took me eleven years to write this essay about the weather dogs. I finally wrote this on October 13, 2011,
having done no prior research whatsoever. The Fatima apparitions visited the three
shepherd children monthly in 1917 from May through October, and always on the
13th of the month. The last
apparition occurred on October 13, 1917 exactly 94 years ago.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Iams Home for the Holidays Blog Hop
Iams Home 4 the Holidays, one of the world’s largest pet adoption programs, kicks off its annual adoption drive in partnership with Helen Woodward Animal Center. Their goal is to find homes for 1.5 million orphaned cats and dogs. Now in its 13th year, Iams’ Home 4 the Holidays, which runs up to January 3, 2012, has helped place 5.8 million pets in their forever homes.
This year, Iams and Helen Woodward Animal Center team up with more than 3,500 animal organizations worldwide to encourage pet adoption. In addition, Iams will donate 5 million meals to animals in need at adoption and rescue centers through its Bags 4 Bowls program.
We are asking bloggers to get involved by simply adding your blog to the Blog Hop below. It’s easy, fun and helps to feed animals in need.
Consumers can lend a hand by:
• Visiting the Iams Facebook page and clicking “Like.” For each “Like” comment or photo posted, Iams will donate meals.
• Becoming a fan of Iams’ Facebook page and creating a custom adoption announcement or holiday card to share the news of their new four legged family member or just send a season’s greeting to family and friends. For each card created and shared, Iams will donate meals.
• Purchasing specially-marked packages of Iams dog or cat food during the duration of the campaign. For every specially-marked package sold, Iams will donate one bowl of food to a participating Iams Home 4 The Holidays animal organization.
Joining the program this year are NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and his wife Krissie. The Newmans founded the Ryan Newman Foundation to educate and encourage people to spay or neuter their pets and to adopt animals from shelters and rescue centers. “As proud pet parents to five incredible animals, we are honored to join with Iams Home 4 the Holidays to find permanent homes to loving animals,” says, Ryan.
Iams Home 4 the Holidays strives to educate about the importance of adoption so every pet goes to a permanent, loving home. Those who adopt through the program will receive an Iams adoption kit loaded with important information about nutrition, training and proper care to ensure their relationship with the new animal starts off on the right paw.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Author weaves parents' love story with World War II history in collection of letters
Author weaves parents' love story with World War II history in collection of letters
K. S. Mueller's "More Than Anything in the World: Volume 1, 1942-1943" documents her parents' new marriage and the hardships of their separation due to the war through letters written between them during World War II
SPENCER, Mass. (MMD Newswire) August 1, 2011 - - After her mother passed away in 2010, Kathleen Mueller and her brother found more than a thousand letters which their parents had written to one another while their father was away at war from 1942 to 1945. In "More Than Anything in the World: Volume 1, 1942-1943" (ISBN 1456547976), K.S. Mueller provides a personal and detailed glimpse into America during the 1940s and World War II.
Recently married, Sergeant Frank J. Mueller leaves his young wife for military training in the United States. While he is still stationed in the country, he is away from everything he knows and loves as he faces both mentally and physically challenging training. His letters depict life for thousands of soldiers who had to leave their homes and families to join the military during World War II.
In addition to the letters, Mueller includes World War II memorabilia and historical information to show the hardships and sacrifices made by "the greatest generation." She contrasts life in the 1940s, when individuals would sometimes wait hours to make a phone call, with life in today's age of instant gratification.
"I think that this work can relate to events happening currently," Mueller says. "Nearly seven decades later, the country is at war in Afghanistan. Loved ones are still separated due to the war, but we now have email and the internet for communication."
In Mueller's publication of the actual letters written in her parents' own words, she hopes to display the sacrifices and courageous efforts of World War II soldiers and their families through her parents' correspondence. This first edition in a three-part series focuses on her father's time in training while he was stationed in the United States. The next two volumes will cover Sgt. Mueller's deployment to Europe and the events he experienced throughout World War II. The author hopes that readers will develop an appreciation for soldiers like her father who risked their lives and futures for the freedoms we enjoy today--and, in the middle of it all, enjoy a poignant love story between two young Americans.
"More Than Anything in the World: Volume 1, 1942-1943" is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.
About the Author:
K. S. Mueller writes short non-fiction essays about dogs, cats and other topics, aside from her "real job" as a travel executive in Massachusetts. She found a box of more than 1,000 letters written by her parents during World War II in 2010, and decided to publish these letters in a three-volume set that covers the three years her father, Sgt. Frank J. Mueller, was stationed in various locations worldwide with the United States Army.
MEDIA CONTACT:
K. S. Mueller
Email: k2k9dogs@gmail.com
Phone: (508) 450-9552
Website: www.ksmueller.com
REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE
###
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K. S. Mueller's "More Than Anything in the World: Volume 1, 1942-1943" documents her parents' new marriage and the hardships of their separation due to the war through letters written between them during World War II
SPENCER, Mass. (MMD Newswire) August 1, 2011 - - After her mother passed away in 2010, Kathleen Mueller and her brother found more than a thousand letters which their parents had written to one another while their father was away at war from 1942 to 1945. In "More Than Anything in the World: Volume 1, 1942-1943" (ISBN 1456547976), K.S. Mueller provides a personal and detailed glimpse into America during the 1940s and World War II.
Recently married, Sergeant Frank J. Mueller leaves his young wife for military training in the United States. While he is still stationed in the country, he is away from everything he knows and loves as he faces both mentally and physically challenging training. His letters depict life for thousands of soldiers who had to leave their homes and families to join the military during World War II.
In addition to the letters, Mueller includes World War II memorabilia and historical information to show the hardships and sacrifices made by "the greatest generation." She contrasts life in the 1940s, when individuals would sometimes wait hours to make a phone call, with life in today's age of instant gratification.
"I think that this work can relate to events happening currently," Mueller says. "Nearly seven decades later, the country is at war in Afghanistan. Loved ones are still separated due to the war, but we now have email and the internet for communication."
In Mueller's publication of the actual letters written in her parents' own words, she hopes to display the sacrifices and courageous efforts of World War II soldiers and their families through her parents' correspondence. This first edition in a three-part series focuses on her father's time in training while he was stationed in the United States. The next two volumes will cover Sgt. Mueller's deployment to Europe and the events he experienced throughout World War II. The author hopes that readers will develop an appreciation for soldiers like her father who risked their lives and futures for the freedoms we enjoy today--and, in the middle of it all, enjoy a poignant love story between two young Americans.
"More Than Anything in the World: Volume 1, 1942-1943" is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.
About the Author:
K. S. Mueller writes short non-fiction essays about dogs, cats and other topics, aside from her "real job" as a travel executive in Massachusetts. She found a box of more than 1,000 letters written by her parents during World War II in 2010, and decided to publish these letters in a three-volume set that covers the three years her father, Sgt. Frank J. Mueller, was stationed in various locations worldwide with the United States Army.
MEDIA CONTACT:
K. S. Mueller
Email: k2k9dogs@gmail.com
Phone: (508) 450-9552
Website: www.ksmueller.com
REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Check out my web sites!
I have three web sites. The first one consists of my essays about dogs, cats and other topics. It's http://www.k2k9.com/
The second one is my pride and joy: the collection of my parents' WWII letters! Visit me there at http://www.ksmueller.com/
And finally, my tales of woe living (and still working full-time) in the grip of fibromyalgia!. That's viewable at http://www.fibroworks.com/
You can follow me on Facebook, just look for K.S. Mueller
And on Twitter, I'm k2k9.
The second one is my pride and joy: the collection of my parents' WWII letters! Visit me there at http://www.ksmueller.com/
And finally, my tales of woe living (and still working full-time) in the grip of fibromyalgia!. That's viewable at http://www.fibroworks.com/
You can follow me on Facebook, just look for K.S. Mueller
And on Twitter, I'm k2k9.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
From Cesarsway.com: A Westminster Story: Teddy
The dog show world caught the attention of the masses in 2000 with the viral popularity of the comedic film, “Best in Show.” But the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has actually been a tradition for more than 130 years. In fact, it is the second-longest running sporting event in the United States behind only the Kentucky Derby. Hundreds of thousands of dogs have marched through the show ring to display the finest of pedigree and breeding throughout the show’s long history, and Teddy the Beagle is one of those many.
Teddy joined Richard Hilton and Diana Lipari’s family in May 2007. Diana, the President of the Southern California Beagle Club, had grown up with Beagles and wanted to bring another one into her life when her 14 and a half-year-old Beagle, Lionel B. Barrymore, passed away. Upon selecting a reputable breeder, Diana decided to take on her first show quality Beagle and chose Teddy from the litter. “Teddy is a natural show dog with a lot of charisma,” said Diana. “He comes from a long line of great dogs who had that extra something.” Read more at Cesarsway.com! http://www.cesarsway.com/news/
Teddy joined Richard Hilton and Diana Lipari’s family in May 2007. Diana, the President of the Southern California Beagle Club, had grown up with Beagles and wanted to bring another one into her life when her 14 and a half-year-old Beagle, Lionel B. Barrymore, passed away. Upon selecting a reputable breeder, Diana decided to take on her first show quality Beagle and chose Teddy from the litter. “Teddy is a natural show dog with a lot of charisma,” said Diana. “He comes from a long line of great dogs who had that extra something.” Read more at Cesarsway.com! http://www.cesarsway.com/news/
From Cesarsway.com: Ask the Vet: Remedies for Skin & Coat Issues
I adopted a nine-year-old Westie last year that has had skin outbreaks continually! Vet visit after vet visit and a change of his food. Nothing seems to be a cure for this little guy and I am about to give up! This outbreak is so bad that he has lost most of his hair now! What kind of food does he need? I use oatmeal shampoo on him as the ones from the vet seem to break him out even more. Please help!
The fact that you have already tried several hypoallergenic diets with no improvement suggests that food hypersensitivity is not the cause of your Westie’s allergies or that there may be concurrent pruritic dermatoses in addition to food hypersensitivity. Other common causes of allergies in dogs are canine atopy and flea bite hypersensitivity and these should be ruled out since diet changes are not helping. West Highland Terriers have a known tendency towards canine atopy. Read more at Cesarsway.com! http://www.cesarsway.com/
The fact that you have already tried several hypoallergenic diets with no improvement suggests that food hypersensitivity is not the cause of your Westie’s allergies or that there may be concurrent pruritic dermatoses in addition to food hypersensitivity. Other common causes of allergies in dogs are canine atopy and flea bite hypersensitivity and these should be ruled out since diet changes are not helping. West Highland Terriers have a known tendency towards canine atopy. Read more at Cesarsway.com! http://www.cesarsway.com/
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